


A Matter of Rank

by Tammany



Category: Good Omens (TV)
Genre: Gen, Meta, Ranks of Angels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-05
Updated: 2019-09-05
Packaged: 2020-10-10 14:48:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20529794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tammany/pseuds/Tammany
Summary: A short consideration--a VERY SHORT consideration--of Aziraphale's rank.





	A Matter of Rank

And here, oh my best beloved, is the hub of the question:   
  
What is Aziraphale's rank, and what does it all mean?  
  
In the book and the series Aziraphale is certainly called an angel: that's the lowest of the formal ranks of the three heavenly spheres. But he is also identified as a) a Principality, and b) the Guardian of the Eastern Gate, and c) an angel with a flaming sword.   
  
A mere angel at the bottom of the heap is consistent with the degree to which other angels (Gabriel, Michael, Uriel, and Sandalphon) seem to feel entitled to boss him around, and it also seems to be in keeping with Aziraphale's pottery, sweet, Poohish modesty about much of his existence. It is not, however, in keeping with the title he's given, the roles he's presented as filling, or the degree of latitude he's permitted in the end, in God's Ineffable Plan.  
  
Principalities are the third-from-lowest order of angels, but the highest order of angels in the first, most earthly sphere. They are generally guardians of entire nations, of major human leaders, and the like. If Mycroft Holmes were an angel, one suspects he'd be a Principality, looking out over the well-being of Earth and Earth's governments without having much importance in the Grand Scheme of things: a minor member of the Heavenly Civil Service. Yet Aziraphale, like Crowley, appears to be responsible for the Big Picture issues of Earth. They get sent all over. They are working to affect major changes in reality, not even on a minor scale. The dominoes they are assigned look like the ones that topple over minor things like World Governments and World Leaders and change historical trends. That keeps them modestly busy, but not as busy as they'd be if they were forever hopping to win individual souls to their side. They can manage to slouch off on the job, enjoy oysters, and make arrangements that leave them both free to attend plays and feed ducks. So--Aziraphale could indeed be a Principality, and Crowley could hold a similar rank in Hell...though that seems a bit questionable as he's awfully far out of the loop. But, then, so is Aziraphale.  
  
Then, one must consider that Aziraphale is given two clear, stated tasks at the very start: Guardian of the Eastern Gate, and Bearer of the Flaming Sword. 

Here's the thing: those two honors are given to cherubim...AFTER Adam and Eve are exiled from Eden. And cherubim are the next-to-highest rank of angel, in the very highest circle of heaven, second only to the Seraphim, whose real and only main job is to worship and praise God, forever in the Presence. Cherubim are also guardians of the Ark of the Covenant--God's own house on earth. So--guardians of paradise, and of the traveling, symbolic anchor that ties God to his creation and to his people. Keepers of the connection between God and his world.  
  
The timing could be used to explain it: Aziraphale was a mere Principality. Or he was a Cherubim who screwed up the job and was demoted. But even so, one doesn't feel like that's how even the screwed up bureaucracy of Heaven works in Good Omens.   
  
Now--I did consider that at some point, as God showed up less and less often in the Celestial courts, perhaps the lower orders of Angels--the most practical ones--might have committed a semi-aware, semi-unintentional coup.  
  
Archangels--Gabriel, Michael, Uriel, Raphael, Metatron (Yes, he's supposed to be the "very highest of God's angels," and an archangel...)--are all practical angels dealing with major issues on earth (Healing, messenger service, voice of God, Death, hero-work...). They're plausible soldiers of God. For example, Michael is traditionally assigned the position of Chief of the Heavenly Host. Top general. Think of them as, oh--knightly class. Samurai class.   
  
Then think of the Shogunate, when the Samurai class took over Japan. For highly practical reasons, of course! It wasn't *exactly* a coup...  
  


If God is missing a lot, well...maybe someone does have to take charge. And if it's the warrior class, at least they have the discipline and organization and sense of duty to back it up. Right?

Right?

(Stop muttering about military rule... ) (Yes. I agree.) (Stop looking at me like that...)  
  
Good Omens makes a lot of sense if the next-to-lowest rank of angels, the military angels, the practical issues angels, have slowly come to dominate Heaven's bureaucracy, leaving the technically higher ranked angels kind of cut out of the loop.  
  
But that still leaves us with the question of Aziraphale: is he a mere angel, a Principality, or one of the Cherubim, royalty among the angels and second-closest to the very heart of God?  
  
I think all three have some basis in canon. And all three seem a bit off the mark, according to canon. And that no matter what, he looks to me like he *should have* outranked Gabriel and his little pack of collaborators. And...it looks very much *to me* like God has ineffably allowed him to make moral decisions against her from the very beginning...and has actually approved of them. So. His heart appears to be very much in sync with her ineffable will.  
  
What do you all think?


End file.
